A MINECRAFT MOVIE Trailer Looks Worse Than You Thought

a minecraft movie teaser trailer stars jason momoa and danielle brooks

Not even Danielle Brooks and Jason Momoa in curtain bangs can make this writer care about A Minecraft Movie. The new teaser for Warner Bros’ latest video game adaptation has released, giving fans their first glimpse at the pic directed by Jared Hess – and however low your expectations were, may we suggest lowering them further?

The film also stars Jack Black, Emma Myers, Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jennifer Coolidge. The synopsis is as follows: “Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits – Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks) – find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.”

A Minecraft Movie releases in cinemas from April 2nd, 2025 (so sadly, this isn’t just an expensive prank). Watch the teaser trailer below and let us know your thoughts:

Alison Brie Joins MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

alison brie from glow series tapped to star in masters of the universe

Next up on roll call for Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Films’ live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe is Alison Brie, who has nabbed the villainous role of Evil-Lyn.

The actress joins previously-announced stars Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You) and Camila Mendes (Riverdale) in the adaptation of the popular toy brand from the ’80s. Galitzine will play He-Man, with Mendes as Teela, the captain of the royal guard.

In the director’s chair is the founder of indie film studio Laika, Travis Knight, best known for directing Kubo and the Two Strings. The screenplay hails from Chris Butler, following initial drafts by David Callaham, and brothers Aaron and Adam Nee.

Plot details are unconfirmed, but the project centres on the character of Prince Adam of Eternia who, thanks to his Power Sword, can turn into He-Man and be imbued with superhuman strength and abilities. Alongside his allies, he defends his planet from the evil Skeletor and his armies. Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn is Skeletor’s second-in-command and uses a wand to practice the dark arts.

Alison Brie is best known for her work on the Netflix series GLOW, as well as Community (she is expected to return in the sequel movie currently in the works) and Mad Men.

DUNE Writer Jon Spaihts Sets Directorial Debut

dune writer jon spaihts sets directorial debut

Dune and Dune Part 2 screenwriter Jon Spaihts is set to make his directorial debut with a sci-fi thriller, a project which was unveiled at the Toronto International Film Festival this week.

Film studio Laika is producing the film about a woman investigating a mystery that took place during a week she cannot remember. “This is an original passion project I’ve been eager to turn to for a while, and I couldn’t ask for better partners. Laika has a clear creative vision, and a tradition of meticulous, bespoke storytelling that suits this project very well,” Spaihts said of in a statement being introduced this week to buyers at TIFF.

“Laika has long admired Jon’s iconic work as a screenwriter. He is one of the most imaginative and inventive storytellers working today, and we’re honored to partner with him as he brings his unique vision and soul to the director’s chair for the first time with a wholly original idea that is as thought-provoking as it is moving,” Laika president of live action film and series Matt Levin said.

Though Jon Spaihts is best known for his work with Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth on Dune, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay, he’s also known for having written Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, Passengers, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange.

Exclusive Extract Of New Dark Materials Audio

STARBURST is proud to present an exclusive extract of Ruth Wilson narrating His Dark Materials.

Actress Ruth Wilson, best known for her role as the villainous Mrs Coulter in the BBC adaptation of His Dark Materials, is the new voice of the audiobook versions of the classic Phillip Pullman novels.

The new audio editions of The Northern Lights are available from today. The new edition of The Amber Spyglass will also feature a conversation between Philip Pullman and Ruth Wilson, recorded at the Bodleian Library in 2021. The original recordings of the novels, narrated by Philip Pullman and featuring a full cast, will continue to be available.

Ruth Wilson said: “I fell in love with Philip’s world of His Dark Materials when I first read the books: they’re so complex in their themes and playing Mrs Coulter on screen allowed me to explore themes deeper than just her villainy: narcissism, freedom, motherhood, imagination. Having the opportunity to narrate this series of audiobooks and delve further into Philip’s profoundly intricate world was an honour and a pleasure.”

Northern Lights narrated by Ruth Wilson is published on September 5th. Listen on Audible, Spotify, and all audiobook retailers. https://linktr.ee/hdmaudiobooks

You can listen to an exclusive extract below.

Wide Grins All Around For The New SMILE 2 Trailer!

naomi scott in full trailer for smile 2

Naomi Scott (Aladdin, Charlie’s Angels) heads up the cast of returning director Parker Finn’s horror sequel Smile 2, for which a new trailer has just been released by Paramount Pictures.

In Smile 2, “about to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.”

The cast also includes Kyle Gallner, returning as cursed police officer Joel from Smile, as well as Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Dylan Gelula, Raul Castillo, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley. The brand-new trailer also reveals Drew Barrymore to appear in the film as herself.

The first Smile centred on a psychiatrist (Sosie Bacon) who is tormented after witnessing a traumatic incident with a patient. Until the sequel drops next month, why not check out STARBURST’s interview with writer-director Parker Finn about helming the box office hit, or with actors Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, and Kyle Gallner about starring in the horror film?

Watch the full official trailer for Smile 2 below, releasing in cinemas on October 18th.

NIGHTBITCH Trailer Sees Amy Adams Turn Into A Dog

amy adams in first trailer for nightbitch horror-comedy film

It’s Nightbitch, bitch! Six-time Oscar nominee, Amy “Give Her That Statuette” Adams finds herself in a hairy situation in the very first trailer for Marielle Heller’s horror-comedy feature about an artist who puts her career on hold to become a mother, only to realise she may be transforming into a dog.

As eloquently expressed by the film’s star in the trailer, “I’m never going to be smart, happy or thin ever again. Oh, and I’m pretty sure I’m turning into a dog.” The film also stars Scott McNairy, Zoë Chao and Mary Holland, among others. Marielle Heller both writes and directs Nightbitch, which marks the filmmaker’s first film since her heartfelt Fred Rogers biopic starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, released in 2019.

Nightbitch is based on the Rachel Yoder novel of the same name, which was described by critics as a “mischievous commentary on the neuroses of modern womanhood” and breathing “new life into the cold, furry flesh of the monstrous femme”. Nightbitch will receive its global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, before heading to the big screen from December 6th, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

Watch the trailer below:

BIGFOOT Horror In The Works At STX Entertainment

bigfoot photo

Bigfoot is coming. Another Sasquatch-based horror movie is headed out of the woods, courtesy of Diamonds director John Asher, Deadline reports.

The STX Entertainment and Citizen Skull Productions project will centre on a Bigfoot-like beast that terrorises a modern housing development in a small mountain town. The attacks lead to the town’s new sheriff fighting for her daughter’s life. Asher directs from a screenplay by Jordan Reid.

Asher’s previous directing credits include the features A Love Like This, A Boy Called Po, and Diamonds, as well as the TV series One Tree Hill. Bigfoot therefore marks the filmmaker’s first venture into the horror landscape. Reid, meanwhile, is new to screenwriting, having previously acted in series including ER and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The film is slated to shoot this fall in the remote Crystal Mountains of Washington State. Casting is in process.

“Ever since the release of Jaws, moviegoers have been terrified of the water. Once they see Bigfoot, they’ll never go into the forest again,” Asher said in a statement to Deadline. “When I read the script, I was absolutely blown away. This movie is incredibly terrifying. It’s going to keep audiences on the edge of their seats,” added Citizen Skull’s Mark Myers.

Trailer Drops For DIE ALONE From WOLFCOP Director

carrie-anne moss in trailer for die alone from wolfcop director lowell dean

Lowell Dean, the director of horror-comedies WolfCop and Another WolfCop, as well as this year’s wrestling horror movie Dark Match, is back on screens in time for Halloween with his latest feature, Die Alone. The pic stars Frank Grillo (The Purge: Anarchy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix franchise) and Douglas Smith (Don’t Worry Darling, Big Little Lies).

In the Canadian horror-thriller film, “Set in a future where society collapses following a catastrophic pandemic, Die Alone follows Ethan (Smith), a young man with amnesia, who bands together with Mae (Moss), a rugged survivalist. Under siege from the zombie-like monsters created by the outbreak, Ethan must use Mae’s survival skills to find his missing girlfriend, before a fateful encounter with Kai (Grillo) unravels a secret that lies just beyond his fractured memory.”

Lowell Dean both writes and directs the film, produced by Berry Meyerowitz, Jeff Sackman and Larry Greenberg for Quiver Distribution. Also producing are Kevin DeWalt, Danielle Masters, and Benjamin DeWalt of Minds Eye Entertainment. Executive producers include Scott Martin, Michael Slifkin, and Jack Sheehan of Archstone. The post-apocalyptic feature will have its global premiere at the 2024 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival later this month.

Die Alone releases in cinemas and on VOD from October 18th, 2024. Watch the trailer below:

APARTMENT 7A, The Prequel To ROSEMARY’S BABY, Births Trailer

natalie erika james rosemary's baby prequel apartment 7a trailer starring julia garner

Julia Garner‘s new flat looks ready to beat your worse renting stories, in the first trailer for Paramount+’s Rosemary’s Baby prequel film, Apartment 7A. The psychological horror movie from Relic director Natalie Erika James hits the streaming service and digital VOD from September 27th.

Opposite Julia Garner, the film stars Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Jim Sturgess, Marli Siu, Andrew Buchan, Rosy McEwen and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

Apartment 7A centres on Terry Gionoffrio (Garner), an aspiring dancer in New York City who suffers an injury and moves into a luxury apartment building called the Bramford with an affluent couple (Wiest and McNally). After a Broadway producer (Sturgess) offers her a path to fame, Terry has an evening she can’t quite remember and suspects that something evil inhabits her apartment and the building itself.

James helmed the film from a script she co-wrote with Christian White and Skylar James, based on the author Ira Levin’s horror novel from 1967, Rosemary’s Baby. Apartment 7A serves as a prequel to director Roman Polanski’s 1968 feature adaptation that stars Mia Farrow in the title role. Garner’s character was portrayed by actress Angela Dorian in the original.

It’s a busy few months for Garner, who is also set to star in Wolf Man and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, both scheduled for release next year.

Watch the trailer for Apartment 7A below:

Check Out New Images from JITTERS

Marc Zammit, director of the recent Witch, is well into production of his new feature, Jitters. You can check out an array of images (including some behind-the-scenes shots) below.  

Produced by Marc Zammit and James Fuller of Aptitude Films, Jitters is a nerve-jangling original chiller that reunites Witch actors Fabrizio Santino as Detective Collymore, Anto Sharp as Detective Harding, Daniel Jordan as Jitters, and Ritchi Edwards as Detective Lionbur, as well as Lauren Budd (Cinderella’s Curse)as Julia, Yinka Awoni (A Song from the Dark)as Detective Barker, and featuring Boo Miller (Afraid of the Dark) as Taylor, Jess Impiazzi (Serial Kaller) as Tiff and Richard Wiskers as Jake.

Synopsis

When Detective Collymore, a divorced single father, stumbles upon a disturbing case that involves the death of a woman, he refuses to believe that she died of natural cause.  Delving deep into the case, he soon discovers someone or something that tips his world on its axis and sends him headlong into the twisted, perilous world of Jitters… Entering the unknown, he’s thrown into a mind-bending journey where reality blurs and nothing is what it seems. In a battle of wills, he must determine what’s real and what’s fantasy and outsmart this malevolent force… but is it real, or is it the stuff of nightmares you may never wake up from?

This promises to be a spine-chilling thrill ride is full of intrigue and psychological twists galore that fans of horror and independent cinema will definitely need to see!

Marc Zammit said: “Creating my third feature has deepened my passion for filmmaking. It’s a reflection of my unwavering commitment to delivering compelling narratives and unforgettable cinematic experience and I hope Jitters can achieve this”.

We’ll have more information on Jitters as the film nears release.